


The Forbidden Topic

by Ren (mizdarknezz3)



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Daddy Issues, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Character Death, Pre-Relationship, Team as Family, they all have parent issues except fred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27881082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizdarknezz3/pseuds/Ren
Summary: There is a silent understanding in Angel Investigations that they don't talk about their families. Fred however doesn't know that.
Kudos: 8





	The Forbidden Topic

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm Ren and I hate Rodger Wyndam Pryce. This story came about because I was thinking about how much Wesley's dad sucked and I realized that the other characters could probably sympathize, since Cordelia's and Angel's dads don't seem that great either. But Fred's parents are awesome and we know she was in some communication with them from season five, so I like to think they stayed in close contact and that she'd like to talk about it. So this story was born! Hope you enjoy :3

There was a silent rule in angel investigations before Fred came. They didn't talk about family. Especially their parents. Wesley reassured himself that it was for Gunn’s and Angel's sake. Gunn's parents and sister had died tragically. Angel killed his family. There was no need to talk about those traumatic events or even male them think of the subject by bringing up family. But the others had their own reasons. Cordelia didn't like her parents much after the whole losing everything they owned fiasco. But she wouldn't mind talking about other people's family. Gunn's family was a sore topic especially his sister but he never would tell someone they couldn't talk about their own family. And Angel? Angel didn't bring it up for all their sakes, but he was especially careful not to bring it up around Wesley. Cordelia and Angel had the best idea of Wesley's childhood from the little they'd heard of it, and neither of them liked the sound of it. Angel’s father hadn't been the most supportive either, Angel could relate to that, but Angel’s father had also been, deep down, a good man, and he hadn’t made his own children terrified of him. Angel when he was human had gone in the exact opposite direction of Wesley, he couldn’t make his father proud so he stopped trying and did whatever he liked. Wesley on the other hand was always looking for approval. Angel could see it when Wesley first came to work for him. Hanging on to every little word Angel said. After Angel fired them and came back it had been different, Wesley didn't look to him as much, but he still did. Cordelia didn’t have as much information as Angel but she was it in the way Wesley acted. In the small comments made every now and then. How did he know it was Bethany’s father? How did he come to the conclusion so fast? And what was the look in his eye? Cordelia didn’t need spoken evidence, she could just tell, and so she didn't bring it up. Even Gunn, who hadn’t been present for as long as Angel and Cordelia could tell that family was a sore subject for the English man. Gunn had brought up some of his mum’s favorite recipes and tried to tease Wesley about his britishness and had gotten a not quite sarcastic, but almost defeated remark about not being allowed to cook with his mum, as his father felt it was a woman's job in the kitchen. Gunn remembered bristling at the comment and saying something along the lines that Wesley’s father was old school, and the foggy look in Wesley’s eyes when he said yes was enough for Gunn to decide to drop the subject. Family really wasn’t talked about, but then Fred came.

Fred’s parents were nice, and kind. They clearly cared about their daughter. It left Gunn aching for his own parents. It made Cordelia realize that her parents would probably never have done that for her. Angel was left with a bad taste in his mouth thinking of his own mother and father, but really they made him think of his sister Kathy, and how much he missed her. And Wesley, Wesley seemed to be depressed and bitter. He was very kind and polite to the Burkles. But when they were gone he seemed lost in himself, longer than the rest of them. The others had expected this. But not Fred. Fred was concerned but no one wanted to be the one to tell her about their suspensions of Wesley’s childhood. They just told her he'd be fine. Fred was not the greatest at social cues. She did not learn the unsaid rule at Angels Investigations. She talked about her parents a lot. Her memories with them, and the letters they were sending back and forth. Cordelia found herself a bit bitter about it though she tried not to show it. Angel and Gunn both found it endearing, though Angel saw her more in a younger sister light and Gunn a romantic. Wesley would listen and smile at her, but after the conversations and Fred was gone he was always more withdrawn. Cordelia was the first to notice, then Angel. Gunn worried at first that he had done something to upset Wesley but put the pieces together. Fred was left oblivious. Angel felt for his friend but social situations like this weren't his specialty. Gunn wasn’t really sure how to comfort him either, heart to hearts with another man weren’t something he did often, if the man was the same age as him. Comforting a teenager he could do, but that wasn't Wesley. Cordelia stepped up.

"We have to tell Fred." She said with finality in her voice. Angel sighed.

"Cordy, it’s not really our business to say anything." Angel told her.

"Well if we don't she’s just going to keep bragging to him and we'll be left with a mopey British man! Wesley's the boss, we need him at the top of his game." Cordelia exclaimed with her hands on her hips.

"Why don’t we try cheering Wesley up himself instead?" Gunn suggested tentatively. Cordelia shook her head and Angel looked down.

"We’ve been trying, I got him new tea, I tried talking to him about his dusty old books, I even tried to get him to tell me about his demon website. Nothing but self deprecating nonsense came out of his mouth. Angel even tried to start a non work related conversation with him. It went about as well as you'd think" Cordelia said.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Angel asked, dramatic offense in his voice.

"You know what it means. Point is, we’ve tried. Nothings working." Cordelia answered.

"Have you tried actually, you know, talking to him about why he's upset?" Gunn asked and winced at the glare Cordelia sent him.

"You want to open that can of worms? Be my guest. I’ve got my own daddy issues, Wesley is on a whole new level. No thanks. I'd rather we just tell Fred to drop it around him." Cordelia said, crossing her arms. Both boys considered the situation. On the one hand, airing Wesley's dirty laundry to the girl he liked was morally wrong, on the other hand neither of them wanted to be the one to talk to Wesley about his father. Both of their shoulders slumped and Angel sighed again.

"Fine, you two go talk to Fred." Angel said.

"And what about you big man?" Cordelia asked. Angel shifted.

"What do you need me for?" Angel asked.

"Oh no you're not getting out of this. We're all breaking Wesley’s trust together. You're going to be as guilty as the rest of us. Come on, we’ve got a Texas twig to talk to." Cordelia said and marched through the hotel with both boys following reluctantly behind. Wesley was in his office alone moping once again so they didn't have to worry about him. Fred, they found, was in her room with the door open. She smiled brightly when she saw all of them.

"Hey y'all, do we have a case?" She asked. Angel looked to the floor already uncomfortable.

"No, we need to talk to you." Cordelia said and Fred's demoner shifted, she was tenser and less bouncy. More like a tight ball of energy.

"Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? I didn't mean to I swear! If it was about the fact that I ate the last of the dumplings without asking I won't do it again I was just hungry and-" Fred started and Gunn put his hands up.

"Woah girl calm down. It’s nothing bad. It’s just..." he trailed off unable to bring himself to finish his sentence.

"You need to stop bringing your parents up around Wesley." Cordelia finished for him. Fred blanched a bit but smiled awkwardly.

"What? Why?" She asked, not angrily, just confused.

"Look, we don't know much, and we don't talk about it. But Wesley’s childhood sucked. Like, big time. And I'm pretty sure it was mostly because of his father. So every time you go off and tell him about how great your parents all he gets all mopey remembering his parents aren't." Cordelia explained. It felt weird to say it out loud. The forbidden topic around the office just put out in the air. Fred deflated.

"Oh, oh gosh I didn't mean to. Is he okay? Why didn't he tell me?" Fred asked fiddling with her fingers.

"It’s not your fault." Gunn reassured.

"He doesn't really talk about it." Angel added.

"It’s just obvious after knowing him for awhile. You’ll see it. So are you going to stop bring it up?" Cordelia asked and Fred nodded vigorously.

"Thank you for telling me. I didn’t mean to make him upset. I just get excited talking about them after not seeing them for so long. For a while I even believed they weren’t real. But they are and they believe me and still care about me. It’s kinda unbelievable at times..." Fred explained. Cordelia felt a pang of sympathy for the girl but brushed it off.

"Good. I'm glad we've come to an understanding." She said and walked off. Gunn stayed behind to talk to Fred and Angel went off to brood. Hopefully they'd have a less mopey former watcher.

* * *

It was Wednesday evening and Fred had just finished writing her latest letter to her parents. She went downstairs and stood in front of Wesley’s office, her hand in the air to knock, but she stopped herself. Normally her and Wesley walked to the mailbox together, none of the boys really liked her walking alone at night and in all honesty she didn't really like doing it alone either. But Wesley knew that it was her parents she was always writing to at this time, and she wasn’t supposed to bring them up around him. Gunn and Cordy had both already left for the day. She was pretty sure Angel was out patrolling but she could always go check his room. She was about to turn to do just that when Wesley’s door opened. Both Wesley and Fred jumped and Fred put a hand on her chest and laughed off the jitters.

"Jeez Wesley, you got me." She told him. He rubbed the back of his head with a small smile himself.

"Sorry, you just surprised me. Is there something you needed?" He asked, polite as ever. She waved her hand and stuttered a bit trying to find an excuse to get away, but his eyes locked on the letter. "Oh, it’s Wednesday already? I hope you weren't waiting for me to finish." He said, she couldn't see any sadness in his eyes or voice, just concern. She waved him off.

"Oh no, I just finished this one late, I got caught up in a project I've been working on."

"Really? What’s that?" He asked and without really thinking she was following him out the door and to the mailbox. Wesley let her ramble on about her latest project, she was trying to figure out a theory on dark matter. Wesley would always tell her that he wasn't very knowledgeable on the subject but he listened anyway and had questions for her to answer. Eventually she was done though and they still had a bit to go until the mailbox. Normally she could talk about anything and everything for hours but it seemed now that she had been given this taboo all she could think about were her parents. She was pretty sure she had read an experiment about the phenomenon before, but that didn't help her overcome it.

"So how are your parents? Are they doing well? I believe you told me last week your fathers hunting trip went very well last month but he had another one planned soon." Wesley said, making her jump again.

"Oh! Um, yeah they're fine! Great! But we don't have to talk about them." Fred told him.

"Is something wrong?" Wesley asked, always concerned about everybody else.

"No! No, I just, you know. I'm sure you're all tired of hearing me talk about my parents. I'm an adult, I shouldn't be obsessed with their lives and dragging my friends into it right?" Fred said, desperately trying to come up with a reason on why she shouldn't talk about her parents. She didn't think it was a good cover. Wesley looked at her with concern.

"Who told you that? It’s perfectly normal to talk with your parents regularly and tell your friends about them. And, after what you've been through, you have every right to want to talk about them and stay close. No one can fault you for that." Wesley told her and his words made her heart clench a bit. Here he was, comforting her about a subject that she knew made him uncomfortable.

"You’re a really nice guy Wesley." She told him and she saw him swallow and pull at his collar. His cheeks were bright red.

"Oh, uh, thank you. Although I don’t think I’m being particularly nice, it’s just the decent thing to do." Wesley told her and she giggled.

"Well decent people are normally nice ones too." She said and he smiled as well.

"I suppose they are. So your father’s hunting trip?" He asked and she rambled on to him about what her parents had told her about and what she had sent back to them for the rest of the walk. By the time they got back to the hotel she was wheezing and he had a big smile on his face.

"And then, and then, he slipped right into the cow dung!" She told him, still laughing. She calmed down and noticed Wesley was just staring down at her smiling. "What? Is my face all red?" She asked patting her cheeks, they were hot. He smiled wider.

"Nothing, it’s just... Nothing. Goodnight Winifred. I’ll see you in the morning." He told her and he was off. Fred walked back inside in good spirits. Maybe the others didn't know what they were talking about. Maybe they did and she had just made a mistake. But he seemed happy and alive during their conversation, so she didn't know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought below, I'd love to hear it! Stay safe and have a wonderful day!


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